On May 24, 2024, the inaugural ceremony of the “TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College” and the ESG Forum were successfully held at the Tianjin Tiankai Higher Education Science and Technology Innovation Park. Nearly 200 guests from government agencies, universities, enterprises, and the investment community attended the event, including officials from the Tianjin Municipal Commerce Bureau, Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology, and Tianjin Municipal Education Commission.

This marks the establishment of the first ESG-focused college in China. In recent years, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainable development—centered on key issues such as environmental protection, social responsibility, and corporate governance—have become central topics in global economic and social discourse and are emerging as a powerful engine for sustainable global development.

Against this backdrop, Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU) and Grouphorse Group have jointly launched the TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College—a model institution integrating talent cultivation, academic research, technological innovation, corporate services, and student entrepreneurship. Leveraging TFSU’s strengths in multilingual and multidisciplinary education and Grouphorse’s extensive experience serving the United Nations and multinational corporations, the college aims to build a comprehensive, deeply integrated industry-academia collaborative mechanism. It is dedicated to cultivating interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and globally competent ESG professionals with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

At the inauguration ceremony, Zhou Honglei, Party Secretary of TFSU; Liang Nan, Second-Level Inspector of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce; Xu Zhen, Director of the Higher Education Division of the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission; and Tang Xing, Chairman of Grouphorse Group, each took the stage to deliver remarks.

TFSU President Li Yingying and Grouphorse Chairman Tang Xing signed a cooperation agreement and jointly unveiled the nameplate of the TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College. Together with the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Lianhe Credit Information Service Co., Ltd., they also unveiled the plaque for the “Tianjin ESG Talent Training Base.” The ceremony was witnessed by Wen Yi and Zhang Li, Vice Presidents of Grouphorse Group. The event was chaired by TFSU Vice President Yu Jiang.

Following the inauguration, the ESG Forum featured keynote speeches from prominent experts: Hu Qichao, Secretary-General of  Beijing National Institute of ESG, spoke on “ESG as a Bridge between Effective Government and Efficient Market for Financial Services”; Liu Kexin, Head of CSR, Sustainable Development, and ESG at Philips Greater China, discussed “Responsible and Sustainable Business”; and Liu Jingyun, Vice President of Lianhe Equator Environmental Impact Assessment Co., Ltd., shared insights on “ESG Development and Practices under the Dual Carbon Goals.” The forum was moderated by Li Wei, Dean of the Honors College of TFSU, and concluded with a summary by Grouphorse Chairman Tang Xing.

On behalf of the university, Zhou Honglei, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government officials and partner organizations at all levels for their guidance and strong support in establishing the ESG industrial college and the ESG talent training base. She emphasized that the founding of the “TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College” and the “Tianjin ESG Talent Training Base” marks another important initiative by TFSU to align with national strategies, respond to the call for developing new quality productive forces, and actively implement the vision of “New Era, New Liberal Arts, New Mission.” It is also a concrete step toward enhancing the university’s capacity to serve national strategies and support regional economic and social development.

This year, building on its tradition of cultivating well-rounded, interdisciplinary talent, TFSU has launched five major innovative training modules: the Industrial College, Top Innovative Talent Development Programs, International Joint Training Programs, Intercollegiate Joint Training Programs, and Minors/Micro-Majors/Course Clusters. These initiatives aim to accelerate the development of new liberal arts disciplines and deepen industry-education integration, fostering practice-oriented, interdisciplinary, and top-tier talent urgently needed for national development, and contributing to the talent ecosystem supporting the country and the Tianjin region.

Tang Xing, Chairman of Grouphorse Group, noted that as China’s first ESG-focused college, the “TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College” is committed to three key goals. First, it will be rooted in Tianjin, empowering the region’s economic and social development. Second, it will serve as a national model, radiating its influence across China and contributing “Tianjin Wisdom” to the advancement of ESG in the country. Third, it will benchmark itself against global standards, aligning with international ESG concepts and best practices to enhance the internationalization of education and strengthen students’ global competence. He described the College as a landmark example of a foreign language university embracing ESG and a vivid demonstration of China’s proactive engagement in global governance reform and institution-building.

Tang highlighted that the students who will enroll at the TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College in September 2024 are entering the program at a moment shaped by the convergence of favorable timing, geographic advantage, and harmonious conditions—the traditional Chinese concept of “Tianshi, Dili, Renhe” (天时、地利、人和). From a timing perspective, China’s modernization of its national governance system and capacity necessitates deeper involvement in global governance, and ESG-focused international cooperation—particularly in climate change—has become a consensus among nations and a focal point for China’s global engagement. From a geographical standpoint, in April 2022, Tianjin issued the first provincial-level ESG Evaluation Guidelines in the country, showcasing the city’s pioneering exploration and commitment to ESG development. From a human resources perspective, on April 12, 2024, the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges released the “Guidelines for Self-Regulation of Listed Companies—Sustainability Report,” mandating sustainability disclosures for companies included in key indices such as the SSE 180, STAR 50, SZSE 100, and ChiNext, as well as dual-listed firms in domestic and overseas markets. As a result, when ESG graduates enter the workforce, they will find a society where ESG principles are widely embraced and where stakeholders actively participate in ESG-related investments—ensuring a broad stage for ESG professionals to thrive.

Following the forum, TFSU university leaders hosted a formal banquet for the senior management team of Grouphorse Group and accompanied them on a tour of the university’s historic Century Bell Tower and the Beijiang Museum.

The inauguration of the TFSU Grouphorse ESG Industrial College and the Tianjin ESG Talent Training Base was promptly covered by major media outlets, including People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, People.cn, CNR.cn, and China Daily.